This week in West Virginia history: November 8 to 14

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The following events happened on these dates in West Virginia history. To read more, go to e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia at www.wvencyclopedia.org.

Nov. 8, 1936: It’s Wheeling Steel, a half-hour musical variety radio program, debuted over WWVA in Wheeling. The program was an instant success with local audiences and later became a nationwide sensation.

Nov. 8, 1936: Politician Darrell McGraw was born in Wyoming County. He served on the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals (1977-89) and was West Virginia’s longest-serving attorney general in history (1993-2013).

Nov. 9, 1874: Matthew Mansfield Neely was born in Doddridge County. He was the 21st governor of West Virginia and also served as a U.S. representative and senator.

Nov. 9, 1952: The Huntington Museum of Art opened as Huntington Galleries. The museum is located on more than 50 acres in the Park Hills section of Huntington.

Nov. 10, 1777: Cornstalk, his son Elinipsico and the sub-chief Red Hawk were murdered in captivity by enraged settlers who blamed them for two recent killings. Cornstalk, a Shawnee leader who lived in what is today southeastern Ohio, had commanded Indian forces at the Battle of Point Pleasant.

Nov. 10, 1861: A Confederate cavalry force of more than 700 attacked a Union recruit camp at Guyandotte in Cabell County.

Nov. 10, 1978: The New River Gorge National River was established by Congress. It was designated a National Park and Preserve in 2020.

Nov. 10, 1979: The last home game was played at Old Mountaineer Field at West Virginia University. More than 38,000 people attended the game, in which WVU nearly upset highly ranked Pitt.

Nov. 11, 1922: Jane Taylor Cox George was born in Possum Hollow, Roane County. As a 4-H leader, she introduced young people to traditional crafts and dance in Kanawha, Putnam, Mercer, Monroe and Roane counties, helped oversee the first Mountain State Art & Craft Fair in 1963 and was a longtime contributor to the Vandalia Gathering and other festivals.

Nov. 11, 1929: The Memorial Arch was dedicated on Armistice Day in Huntington. The Memorial Arch stands at the intersection of 11th Avenue and Memorial Boulevard. The arch pays tribute to Cabell County soldiers who fought in World War I.

Nov. 12, 1844: Henry Schmulbach was born in Germany and moved to Wheeling with his family as a child. In Wheeling, he formed one of the state’s largest breweries and served as president of the German Bank, now WesBanco. He also built Mozart Park and the Schmulbach Building.

Nov. 13, 1853: The first recorded baptism occurred at St. John’s Chapel in Monroe County. The building still stands, making it one of the oldest Catholic churches in the state.

Nov. 13, 1879: Educator Elsie Clapp was born. Under her direction, the community school at Arthurdale, Preston County, stressed education for real-life situations and revived traditional music to strengthen reading and writing skills.

Nov. 13, 1911: Old-time fiddler Woody Simmons was born south of Huttonsville, Randolph County. He perhaps won more fiddle contests than anyone in West Virginia history, not even counting his blue ribbon in the “over-60” banjo competition at the 2003 Vandalia Gathering, at age 91.

Nov. 13, 1923: Attorney Virginia Mae Brown was born in Putnam County. When appointed by President Lyndon Johnson in March 1964, Brown became the first woman to serve on the Interstate Commerce Commission.

Nov. 13, 1944: During World War II, Junior J. Spurrier of Bluefield nearly single-handedly captured Achain, France, from the Germans. His actions earned him the Medal of Honor.

Nov. 14, 1788: Kanawha County, named for the Kanawha River, which flows through it, was created.

Nov. 14, 1814: Statehood leader Gordon Battelle was born in Ohio. Serving as the minister of a Wheeling church in the early 1860s, he helped make public education free in the new state but failed in his efforts to abolish slavery. He also served as chaplain to the First West Virginia Infantry before dying of typhoid fever in 1862.

Nov. 14, 1939: The Charleston Civic Orchestra gave its first concert at the Municipal Auditorium. The group changed its name to Charleston Symphony Orchestra in 1943 and in 1988 became the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra.

Nov. 14, 1970: A chartered plane slammed into a hillside just short of Huntington’s Tri-State Airport near Ceredo, killing all 75 of the passengers and crew. The victims included nearly the entire Marshall University football team, all but one of their coaches and a number of fans.